Machine for cleaning the water spaces of radiators and engine blocks of motor vehicle power plants



Jan. 27, 1953 TILTQN 2,626.623

MACHINE FOR CLEANING THE WATER SPACES OF RADIATORS AND ENGINE BLOCKS 0F MOTOR VEHICLE POWER PLANTS Filed March 3, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 OFFICE MACHINE FOR CLEANING'THE WATER SPACES OF RADIATORS AND ENGINE BLOCKS OF MOTOR VEHICLE POWER PLANTS Orlo G. Tilton, Fullerton, Calif.

Application March 3, 1950, SerialNo. 147,402

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine for clean ing the water spaces in the radiators and engine blocks of motor vehicles and has as its primary object the provision of a mechanism whereby a cleansing fluid may be surged back and forth through the water spaces in such fashion as to loosen and remove accumulations and deposits of solids from the water spaces and from the walls thereof.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above character which is applicable to both the radiator and engine block in a manner to effect cleansing of the water spaces of each at the same time and while in place on the vehicle, thus obviating dismounting of either the engine block or radiator for the purposes of effecting cleansing the interiors thereof.

Another object is to provide a radiator and engine block cleaner of the type embodying a double acting piston pump for surging the cleansing fluid back and forth in the water spaces of the radiator and engine block together with a pair of flexible conduits leading from the combined inlets and outlets of the pump adapted to be connected respectively to a radiator outlet and to the water inlet of the engine block, which is equipped with a series of control valves whereby the flow of the cleansing fluid may be directed and regulated as occasion may require.

A further object is to provide a construction in the machine whereby a chemical solution and flushing water may be separately directed to and from the water spaces to be cleansed as needed, and to also provide a means whereby the cleansing fluid, either the chemical solution or water, may be directed to waste on completion of the cleansing operation.

A further object is to provide means for enabling the operator to determine at all times .while the machine is in operation the condition portions of the flexible conduits removed;

'Fig. 2 is a diagram in perspective of the head portion of the machine showing it in an inclined position and as seen from above to clearly depict various parts thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section and side elevation of the head portion of the machine and illustrating the manner of connecting it to the radiator and engine block; and

Fig. 4 is a diagram in horizontal section of the conventional cut-off valve employed in the machine showing it in its closed position in full lines and in its open position in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates the base of the machine which is supported on castors l to facilitate its movement from place to place over a floor, and B designates generally the head portion of the machine which is carried on and afiixed to the base A.

The base A is here shown as comprising a hollow four sided pyramidal structure within which is mounted a driving mechanism C including an electric motor 5 fitted with a driving pulley 6. A belt 1 passes around the driving pulley 6 and around a driven pulley 8 which latter is equipped with a wrist pin 9 fitted with a connecting rod [0. The outer end of the rod I0 is pivotally connected at II to a vertically extending piston rod 12 which leads through a packing gland l3 into the upright cylinder [4 of a double acting reciprocal piston pump D and is provided at its upper end with a piston l5 slidably fitted in the cylinder I4 in a manner common to pumps of this character. The pump cylinder I4 is provided with a base flange l6 which is rigidly fastened by bolts and nut assemblies I! to a top wall [8 fixed on the base A.

The pump cylinder I4 is closed at its lower end by a Wall H! which carries the packing gland I3 and through which the piston rod l2 slidably extends, while the upper end of the pump cylinder is closed by a dome shaped cap 20.

The foregoing described structure is that of an ordinary double acting reciprocal pump assemblage and accordingly involves no invention other than as an element of the machine. The essence of the present invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts attached to the pump D whereby it is adapted for the use for which it is intended. Thes parts, as will now be described, include a nipple 2i fitted in an opening 22 in the cap 20 and a pair of nipples 23 and 24 fitted in openings 25 and 26 in opposed wall portions of the pump cylinder adjacent the lower end thereof. A conduit 21 is connected to the nipple 2| by a coupling 28 and leads through a cut-01f valve 29 to a downwardly extending 3 conduit 3i] connecting with the nipple 23 through a cut-off valve 3|; the conduits 2'! and 30 with the nipples 2| and 23 providing a communication between the upper and lower chambers E and F of the pump cylinder on opposite sides of the piston which communication is normally closed by the valves:29 and 3|.

Leading laterally from the juncture of the conduits 21 and 30 are feed pipes 32 and 33 fitted with cut-off valves 34 and 35 respectively which pipes are designed to be connected to sources of supply of difierent cleansing'liquids under 'pressure comprisin a supply of 'freshwaterandca supply of a suitable chemical solution.

Connecting with the lower portion of the conduit 30 is a drain pipe 33 fitted with a cut-off valve 31 and having a hose connecting terminal 38 to which a hose may be attachedif'desired to direct liquid from the drain pipe to'a suitable point of discharge.

Leading from the upper end of the pump cylinder is a conduit 39, here shown. as attached'to the coupling 28, the outer end of which'conduit 39 is connected to one end of a lengthof hose 40 the outer end of whichis adaptedto be conrie'ct'edto either the main -outlet' of a radiator or to the water'intake of an engine block and being here shown as attached to the intake 4| of theconventional water circulating pump 42 o'f-an engine block G. 'The outer end of the conduit 24 is c'onnected'to one end of a length of hose'43the othe'r endof which is adapted to'be connected to either water intake of the engine block or-to the main outlet of a radiator, andbeing here shown'as attached to the outlet "44at the lower end of a-ra'diato'r H. As a means for enabling the operatorto observe the condition-of liquidvflowin'g through the hose 40-and '43, a transparent-tube of glass or the like is mounted toextend' between spaced sections a and b -Of each of the hose so that liquid directed throughthe' hose and tubes willbe-visible at all times.

Connecting the conduits-'39 and 24isadrain pipe 46 the endsof which connect with the con- 7 diiits '39 and"24 throughout-01f valves 4'! and 48res'pe'ctively, and leading 'from the lower end of the pipe "40 is .a coupling 49' to which is connected a waste hose 50 leading to any suitable point of discharge.

'The'coupling 28' is here shown ascomprising a +-coupling, the'stem of which is connected to so as to then avoid dragging the hose. 'Theseveral'cut-ofi valves above referred to constitute the ordinary hand operatedcut-Ofi valves commonly employed in'water pipes or condu'its, and

are s'electivelyfmanuallyopened and "closed by 'thepper'atOr' according to the operations to .be performed; allbf the valves beingv -closed when themachine is not 'in'use. 'This type ofvalve is "diagrammatically illustrated'in Fig. 4 and coin- "prises' a housing. e having opposed ports 1" and g from whichlead the conduits or pipes for. conducting liquid the flow of which is to be controlled by the valve; 'thehousirig being fitted with a valve member hconipris'ing a turnable cylinder "formed with a transversepassage i which, on

desired to effect cleaning of the water spaces of 'theengine block and the radiator in a single operation while mounted on a motor vehicle, the cleaning machine is moved to a convenient point 7 adjacent to the vehicle, and after draining the connected tothe radiator outlet 44.

water spaces of the engine block and radiator and removing the usual connection between the "lower end of'the radiator and the intake of the water circulating pump 4| on the engine block, the'outeriend of the hose 40 is connected to the intake 4| and the outer end of the hose 43 is However, as before stated, either hose 40 or 43 may be connected to the engine water intake 4| or the radiator outlet 44 as occasion may require or as may be most convenient. Before vconnecting the hose to the radiator and engine block the waterspaces "may be flushed if desired. 'On connecting the machine to the radiator and engine block as stated, the water spaces therein are filled with a suitable chemicalsolution capable of effecting a through the radiator intake 'J and filling the radiator in the usual fashion, or the spacesmay be "filled by liquiddeliveredthereto through certain of the conduits of the machine where the latter is connected to sources of liquid supply through the pipes 32 and 33, in which case, assuming the pipe 32 to be connected to a source of water supply underpressure, water may be directed into the water spaces of the engine block and .radiatorby opening valves 34 and 29, or valves 34 and 3|, or both.

In event it is desired to effect the flow of water through the water spaces, as in flushing same, valves 34, 29 and 48 are opened, whereupon Water directed into the water 'spaces'in the engine block through the 'hose will flow from the engine block through the usual .c'onnection'K between it and the upper portion of the radiator, then pass, from the lower end of the radiator through the hose 43throughth'e conduit"49 and valve 43 to waste 'throughQthe hose i 50.

When it is desired to fillthe water spaces of theengine block'of the radiator with acleansing solution, assuming the pipe '33-asbein'g connected to a source of such solution, valve.35 together with valves 3| and 29 are open soas to thereby direct the cleansing fluid into the water space in the. engine block and of the radiator through the 60 hose 40 'and43.

valves29 and 3|, liquid'will be deliveredfrom the supply source into the pump chambers E and F: opening of valve29 when either valve 34 or 35, is opened, directing liquid into chamber E 'abovethepiston l5, and'openi'n'g of valve 3| "wlieneither valve 34 or 35 isope'ned, directing liquidinto chamberF' below the piston. .In initially delivering liquid to the pump cylinder air may. be entrapped therein particularly if the, piston is in an elevated position,l,but operation. of "the pump will soon efiect replacementof the air Manifestly, on opening the valve 34, or 35, and

with liquid. However it will beapparent that the pumpspacesjmay-be supplied with liquid vfrom the radiator and engine block since on .filling these spaces through the radiator inlet J and opening the valves 29 and 3| with the other valves closed, liquid may flow back through the hose 40 and 43 into the pump chambers and into the then communicating conduits and pipes. The cleansing solution is then caused to surge back and forth in the water spaces of the engine block and radiator by setting the motor 5 in operation thereby effecting reciprocation of the pump piston H: in the cylinder l4, whereupon, on upstroke of the piston the liquid confined in the pump space E will be directed through the nipple 2|, conduit 39 and hose 40 to the water space intake of the engine cylinder and then to the upper portion of the radiator and displacing the liquid contained in the latter through the hose 43 and conduit 24 into the space F beneath the piston |5 as the latter advances on its upper stroke. On downstroke of the piston the operation and direction of flow of liquid will be reversed.

This operation is continued until by observation of the condition of the liquid as it passes through the transparent tubes 45, it is determined that change of the cleansing liquid is desired whereupon the cleansing fluid is flushed from the engine block and radiator by closing valve 35 and opening valves 3|, 31 and 48 thereby allowing the liquid to flow to discharge through the pipe 36 and conduit 50. Additional charges of cleansing solutions may be used as stated, if need be.

After completion of the use of the solutions, the water spaces are rinsed by directing fresh water therethrough as before described, and if found desirable the rinse water may be surged back and forth in the water spaces by setting the pump D in operation as above described.

On completion of the operations water is drained from the radiator and the hose 40 and 43 are detached from the engine block and radiator connections 4| and 44 and replaced by the usual connections between the radiator outlet 44 and the pump intake 4|.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by the use of the invention, cleansing of the water spaces of the engine block and radiator of a motor vehicle power plant may be effected without removing the radiator or the block from the vehicle.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for cleaning the water spaces of radiators and engine blocks of motor vehicle power plants, including a pump embodying a cylinder with a reciprocal piston therein and having end portions formed with combined inlet and outlet openings, a conduit leading from each of said openings, and a hose attached to each of said conduits for connection with the water spaces of a radiator and an engine block; a liquid supply pipe connected to an end of the pump cylinder through the opening therein and to the conduit leading therefrom to direct liquid ,from said supply pipe to one end of the pump cylinder and directly from said supply pipe to the conduit leading therefrom, a cut-off valve in said pipe, a pipe leading from said supply pipe into the lower end portion of said pump cylinder, a cut-oil valve in said last named pipe, a drain pipe connecting with said last named pipe, and a cut-oil valve in said drain pipe.

2. The structure called for in the preceding claim together with a drain pipe connecting with each of said conduits, and a cut-oil valve between each of said conduits and said drain pipe.

3. In a machine for cleaning the water spaces of radiators and engine blocks of motor vehicle power plants, including a pump embodying a cylinder with a reciprocal piston therein and having end portions formed with combined inlet and outlet openings, a conduit leading from each of said openings, and a hose attached to each of said conduits for connection with the water spaces of a radiator and engine block; a pair of connected liquid supply pipes, a cut-ofi valve disposed in each of said liquid supply pipes, a direct valve controlled connection between said supply pipes and one of the conduits leading from an end opening of said pump cylinder whereby a liquid may selectively be delivered from either or both of said supply pipes co-incidently to one end of the pump cylinder and to the water spaces of the radiator and engine block, a supply conduit leading from said connected supply pipes to the other end of said pump cylinder, a cut-oil valve in said supply conduit, a valve controlled drain pipe leading from said supply conduit, and a valve controlled drain pipe leading from each of the conduits leading from the end openings of said pump cylinder.

ORLO G. TILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 918,091 Roche Apr. 13, 1909 1,804,536 Ludwig May 12, 1931 1,918,048 Marxman July 11, 1933 2,187,413 Boezi et a1. Jan. 16, 1940 2,510,701 La Cross June 6. 1950 

